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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26835811">You and I Are Gonna Be Us</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinymelon/pseuds/tinymelon'>tinymelon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Exos Heroes (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and fluff and humor, M/M, Mutual Pining, Rachel is so soft for Ramge, Unresolved Sexual Tension</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:27:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26835811</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinymelon/pseuds/tinymelon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Rachel and Ramge didn't kiss, and one time they did.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rachel/Ramge (Exos Heroes)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You and I Are Gonna Be Us</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Because I'm basic and love pining and UST. </p><p>Thank you to 4dango and kaminarikyouka for helping me title this, even though I suspect it's now named after a kpop song.</p><p>Rachel's words in part 4 lifted directly from their traveler interaction, part 5 based on chapter 9-6.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1. Ramge glanced around nervously as he followed Rachel. Rachel had said there would be no one in the baths at this hour, but he still wasn't sure about this. The palace baths were public, and while the rest of the King's Guard came often to have a nice soak after hard training, Ramge never joined them. Rachel had insisted he was missing out, and had finally persuaded Ramge to come try it out, just the two of them. Ramge had told Rachel he was just fine with missing out, but Rachel had gone through the trouble of finding out the best time and everything…</p><p>“Ahhh, this is gonna feel great,” Rachel said as Ramge eyed the steaming water dubiously. Rachel started stripping off his armor with no hesitation and Ramge turned around hastily, cheeks burning. Rachel laughed. “There's a changing screen over there,” he said, and Ramge hurried over to it, then hesitated as he slowly removed his clothing. There were towels...but…did they really have to be naked for this…</p><p>“Ramge, are you going to come in?” Rachel finally called. Ramge peeked out from behind the screen to see him relaxing in the water, hands behind his head.</p><p>“Yes,” Ramge mumbled, and took a deep breath before he stepped out. He clutched the towel in front of him like a lifeline and cast one last desperate look at Rachel, who was smiling at him, before practically jumping in and quickly sinking down so only his head was sticking out of the water.</p><p>“Nice, isn't it?” Rachel said encouragingly.</p><p>Ramge made a noncommittal noise. The water was too hot, and he quickly had to raise partway out of it to try to cool off.  At least Rachel was having a nice time, head thrown back, relaxed. That was when Ramge noticed the scar.</p><p>“Ah- your chest-”</p><p>Rachel looked at him in surprise. “Oh, you haven't seen it before, have you?” He looked down, his expression darkening. “I got it along with this one.” He tapped the scar on his temple.</p><p>“Oh...I'm sorry,” Ramge whispered. Rachel had told him about that...the assassination attempt, his nurse dying to save him. He wouldn’t have brought it up if he’d known. His hair was wet, and he wasn’t sure if it was steam or sweat. He was sure his face was red.</p><p>“You don't need to apologize,” Rachel told him, exasperated like he always was when he said that. Ramge bit his lip to stop from apologizing again. “So, did you see that move I pulled off against Baraka today?”</p><p>Ramge nodded and smiled. Rachel liked talking about fighting, so Ramge liked listening to him even though he really didn't enjoy fighting at all. He listened attentively as Rachel described the move, though the heat was starting to make him feel a little sluggish. As he nodded, his head swam and he abruptly felt sick. He squeezed his eyes shut, breathing hard.</p><p>“Ramge?” He felt Rachel's hands on his shoulders, but he was too busy trying not to throw up to be concerned by his proximity. “Come on, let's get you out.”</p><p>He was definitely concerned as Rachel basically hauled him out of the tub. He curled over himself protectively as Rachel helped him stagger over to a bench. He caught a glimpse of Rachel, entirely naked, and squeezed his eyes shut.</p><p>“Ramge?” Rachel was asking again. “What's wrong?”</p><p>“Feel sick,” he managed. “The heat…”</p><p>“Yeah, you're bright red.” Ramge heard something snap nearby, and realized Rachel was fanning him with a towel. It did help, and he took some deep breaths until the nausea subsided.<br/>
“I'm sorry,” he said miserably. </p><p>He heard Rachel sigh. “No, I'm sorry. You're not used to the heat, are you? Even sparring sometimes, it gets to you.”</p><p>Ramge's eyes flew open. ”I- you could tell?” He looked very carefully at Rachel's face and nowhere else.</p><p>Rachel snorted. “Nobody else looks relieved when Bathory blasts them.”</p><p>“A-ah.” That was...that Rachel had noticed...he wasn't sure how to feel. “Um...thank you?” </p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“For...inviting me?”</p><p>“To somewhere where you almost passed out?”</p><p>“You like it,” Ramge pointed out. “And you brought me.”</p><p>“Yeah. I like spending time with you,” Rachel said, and the heat must be getting to him too because he almost looked like he was blushing.</p><p>“Me too,” Ramge said, and his own cheeks burned.</p><p> </p><p>2. “How did this happen?” Rachel asked, and softly traced the pad of his thumb over the line at the edge of Ramge's mouth. Ramge stood still, hardly daring to breathe. Rachel was so close, his eyes so blue, and the air between them felt charged like a thunderstorm.</p><p>“It- I-” Ramge swallowed convulsively. Rachel's eyes dropped to his mouth, and Ramge thought, for a wild moment, that Rachel might kiss him. He pulled away sharply, embarrassed to be thinking like that about his best friend, and Rachel let his hand drop.</p><p>“It was nothing,” he said, eyes downcast. He could still feel where Rachel had touched his face. “An accident when - when I was a child.”</p><p>“Another accident, huh?” Rachel asked softly.</p><p>“My sister...fights with a chain sometimes. I wanted to use a chain like her,” Ramge said. “While I was practicing it caught my face. That's all.”</p><p>“Is it?” Rachel asked, and even though Ramge wouldn't look at him his voice conveyed his skepticism well enough.</p><p>Ramge remembered the bite of the cold wind as blood and tears trickled down his face, and how it was nothing compared to the coldness in his father's eyes. “Disappointing,” was all that Shufraken had said before he turned around and left.</p><p>Ramge stayed silent until Rachel finally cracked. “Okay, I get it,” he sighed. “Come on, I'll walk you back.” Rachel slung an arm over his shoulder, and Ramge didn't pull away.</p><p> </p><p>3. Ramge really preferred not to go on missions. He usually ended up with Bathory if something necessitated magic users and her silences always felt icy. The time he'd gone with Xiakhan he'd been ignored entirely, which he hadn't really minded. But with Rachel...it was almost fun. Rachel always took command of the situation, but he didn't ignore Ramge. He asked for his assessment and listened in a way that made Ramge feel more confident instead of unsure of himself. And this mission, at least, Rachel was treating like a vacation.</p><p>“C'mon,” he said, tugging Ramge towards where the performers were set up. His excitement was contagious, and Ramge found himself smiling as he followed. Rachel pushed through the crowd to find a good vantage point while Ramge murmured apologies to those they passed - even with his boots Rachel was still a little shorter than Ramge and he was apparently determined to see. He didn't let go of Ramge's hand as they found their place, and Ramge didn't say anything about it.</p><p>Sia had pressed herself tightly to Ramge's shoulder in the crowd, but she perked up her head as the show started. It was a short piece, meant to draw in a crowd for the longer performances that evening, but it was exciting nonetheless: a romance between pirates from different crews ending in a sword fight. Rachel caught his eye and grinned as the blunt swords clanged, as excited as a child. Ramge smiled back, and Rachel’s hand tightened on his. </p><p> </p><p>4. “I’ll always be with you. I’ll never leave you alone,” Rachel said, and Ramge felt that familiar squeeze in his chest. How could Rachel say things like that so easily? He was smiling, and his eyes were as blue as the sky, and somehow it almost hurt to look at him when he was like this. Ramge wanted to grab him and hold him close, or push him away. How was he supposed to answer something like that? </p><p>Rachel was always reckless, and he made Ramge want to be reckless too. The way Rachel looked at him sometimes, like Ramge was the only thing he saw...Ramge wondered if he ever looked the same way. He wished...he wished things could be different. Most of all, he wished what Rachel said could be true.</p><p> </p><p>5. For a moment when he saw Rachel, happiness bloomed in Ramge's chest. For a few moments he could only focus on Rachel, really here in North von Frosty. If he stepped closer, Rachel might sling his arm around his shoulder like he always did. Ramge stayed where he was. </p><p>He honestly wasn't surprised to find Rachel picking a fight over a kebab, and it almost made him smile, if not for the sick churning in his stomach. Zeon reminded him of Rachel, in some ways. Maybe...they could be friends. Maybe...if they all left now… But there wasn’t a point in thinking that. There wasn’t anything else that could be done.</p><p>And then Zeon asked him what had happened, and he had to answer. And then Rachel wanted to come.</p><p>“I thought you didn't like parties,” he said a little desperately.</p><p>“But you'll be there,” Rachel replied like it was obvious. Despite himself, Ramge yearned. What if the two of them could go together? What if...Rachel really did stay by his side? His breath caught, and he wanted...he wanted so many things. But what else could he do?</p><p>“Then let's go together,” he said, and the words tasted like ash in his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>+1. When things were finally calm, Rachel went to find Ramge on the airship. He'd had months to be angry, months to think of what he would say about what Ramge had done when he finally saw him again (if he saw him again), and all of it melted away when Ramge lifted his head and looked at him with his beautiful wine-red eyes. He could never stay mad at Ramge, especially when he looked too pale and too thin and had dark circles under his eyes. Ramge set Sia down with a quiet word as Rachel stopped in front of him, folding his arms instead of wrapping Ramge up in them.</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>“Rachel,” Ramge whispered, and Rachel really hated how downcast he looked. He missed the little smiles Ramge had just for him. He'd missed Ramge, so much, even with everything else that was going on. “I'm sorry.”</p><p>“I know,” Rachel said, uncrossing his arms and reaching for him, unable to resist any longer. Ramge looked surprised for a moment before he practically melted against Rachel as Rachel wrapped him in a tight hug.  “Did you think I wouldn't forgive you? Don't be dumb.”</p><p>He heard Ramge let out a breath that was more of a sob, and closed his own eyes against the sting in them as Ramge clung to him.</p><p>When Ramge finally pulled away, his eyes were still shining. Rachel wasn't entirely willing to let him go, but Ramge didn't protest the hold on his arm.</p><p>“Rachel, how can you…?” Ramge started, but couldn't seem to find the words to finish.</p><p>“It's easy when it's you,” Rachel said. Standing here with Ramge, it felt like nothing had changed since the King's Guard, even though the entire world had shifted. “Are you going to go back to your father again?”</p><p>Ramge was silent for a long time, looking down, and Rachel really wasn't sure what he was about to do by the time he finally answered.</p><p>“I thought- there was nothing I could do. That I didn't have a choice. But really...I was just too much of a coward to make it, until now.”</p><p>Rachel's hand tightened on Ramge's arm. He hated it when Ramge said self-deprecating things, but he really couldn't disagree.</p><p>“So?”</p><p>“So...I made that choice. If I go back...my father will kill me.” Ramge's voice broke a little as he said it, and his look of misery was enough to make Rachel ready to go up against Shufraken one-on-one. Well, maybe Zeon could help, as powerful as he was now…</p><p>“So you'll just have to come back with me,” he said, in his tone that brooked no arguments.</p><p>“With you?” Ramge said, because of course that voice didn't work on him. “But...isn't your country…”</p><p>“Yeah,” Rachel sighed. There were a thousand reasons why bringing Ramge home with him into the middle of a civil war while he was trying to be crowned king was a bad idea, and he didn't care about a single one. “It's not really how I imagined bringing you home.”</p><p>“You...imagined bringing me home?” Ramge asked, and this time Rachel had to look away and will himself not to blush.</p><p>“Of course I did. I made a promise, didn't I?” he said, and it came out much more softly than he intended.</p><p>“You-” the expression on Ramge's face was suddenly determined and maybe Rachel's brain hadn't quite caught up because without warning Ramge was leaning in and pressing his lips to Rachel's. Was he dreaming? (Usually there was more nudity in the dreams.) He really didn't care, he just knew he had to kiss back. He didn't hold back, and the tiny noise that came from Ramge was the best thing he had ever heard.</p><p>Behind him, he heard Iris gasp. </p><p>“Oh,” said Zeon in tones of great enlightenment. “<em>That's</em> what was weird between them.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please come yell with me about them on <a href="https://twitter.com/tinydragonfruit">twitter</a>. Also if an Exos Heroes Shipping discord sounds like your cup of tea please hmu for an invite.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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